Curbing the ridiculous

[Deleted User]

wrote this before and never posted - am not still not dressed ay 3pm!

Thanks all!  I will try to catch up on everyone else's diaries over the next week as I have been so lax with this recently.

DC2 seems miraculously better.  I went to bed at 8 last night and he woke at 0405 so at least I had 8 hours.  Still shattered however.  DH eventually got up with him so I think I had another hour drifting in and our of sleep before getting up.

Nurse coming round for medical for our life insurance today.  I've still got to get dressed and need to iron a top but managed to have a quick shower and put some slap on though hair a mess and no time to do that with the 2 DC.  DC1 is currently weeing in his pants and on the floor - 3 times this morning - don't know if it's because of the move but it's exhausting - constantly changing his clothes and cleaning up wee!

We have an outbuilding in the garden which has asbestos in it - how much we don't know - but it has been damaged in the storm and glass everywhere.  So asbsetos removal man coming today to quote for getting rid.  We wanted to anyway but I had wanted to wait and apply to put an outdoor grill kitchen there instead at the same time as then planning can't be as difficult as foortprint already there.  But it is a danger.  So we just have to get rid of it now it has been disturbed.  And I'll worry about planning later.  So it's money we didn't really want to spend now but needs to be done.

Got a refund of £44.89 re contents insurance from flat. Every little helps.  Hard to rein DH in on the spending as he has a list of things he wants to get.  

However, we don't have to pay the mortgage until 1 April so, this month we have no rent or mortgage to pay.  The first payment is obviously a little higher than usual as it's to reflect the longer period of interest but I am going to work out what we can put away this month.

Alchemilla

DC1 is probably reacting to all the change xxx

[Deleted User]

Gah, outbuilding removal quoted as 2500!!!!  I messaged my friend who did the survey on the house (he had warned us of this building) to see if that was a reasonable quote and he knows the chap (who is a specialist which is what you need) and said it was.  So we are just getting it done as it needs to be done anyway and is currently a danger to the kids.  It's being done next week.  Annoying as all of these things are chipping away at our budget but unavoidable and at least I will sleep easier once it's done and can't pose any threat to the kids.

DH has now properly set me up to WFH so I am currently at my desk (should be working but will make it up to avoid kids' teatime tonight as I have now done teatime every night for a week!) so that's good!  Just need a proper chair really but work have allowed everyone a budget for WFH equipment so will buy one soon and claim back.  I'm making use of the desk the vendors left (we requested as saw was for free on local fb site) so don't need to buy one of those.

Started flogging baby stuff yesterday - 20 for perfect prep machine so will pay into bank.  Have a playpen and jumperoo to get rid of plus a jungle gym, buggy and various other things like car seats/bases/baby clothes/cot.  Hoping to raise around £200 or so if not a bit more which will obvs help with the cost of the removal of that building a little!!!

Need to nip out on my lunch today to get some painkillers as have really awful period at the moment and also milk (obvs!).  Just trying to get through to weekend really as it is still quite chaotic here and we really need to sit down and do a proper shopping list/meal plan which we've just not been able to get to at the moment.

Wish DH would have the chat with work about his promotion and payrise - we could really do with knowing if it takes us over the free hours threshold here (different to uk) because if it does, then I may as well go back FT from Sept which means asking nursery to hold an extra day for both - I might get them to do that anyway and push DH to chat to work

[Deleted User]

£1.50 on painkillers (own brand) and £4.93 in WR - on cocopops, milk and curly wurly's (which were on offer).  So not too bad.  But have to pay an admin charge of £16 to change the address on our car insurance which I am not happy about!  At least we won't have to do this again now we are staying here!

DH used his lunch hour to get manure for our compost (free) so no doubt our rubbishy car stinks!   Typing this now as on a team call which is mainly stuff I'm not involved in!

Outbuilding coming down Weds - ouchy ouchy cost.

Found a baby playmat which am going to list for £10 later.  It is in pristine condition as wasn't even used (bought as a gift when we already had one).  If maybe I can list one item a day then that will be a good start.

I just keep stressing about the cost of living crisis and I don't know why.  As long as we are both working we are ok.  But I think it's because of my past with debt and it just sends me into a bit of a tailspin when there are world events which directly affect me which I can't control!  I guess maybe I also just need to accept that because this house needs work, we are going to have to spend and it is just therefore a question of trying to be clever with our funds and cut down where we can/sell what we can which is now surplus to requirements.  But trying to rein DH in is hard in some ways, not in others - e.g. he wanted a new saw so went and bought that and I've no idea how much it was.  But then he's also fixing lots of stuff round the house which obviously saves us money as we don't need to pay someone to do it.  I don't even know what I am ranting about but I just get worried.

Amber1980

You’re probably feeling a bit anxious at the moment because of all the change,even though they are good changes it’s still unsettling!
 I find when I’m anxious about anything or feeling out of control of everyday life I worry about money and my financial future alot more than when life is a bit calmer x

badmemory

I think the unknown is always more stressful than when you actually know what is what & that is where you are at the moment.  I'm sure those stress levels will lower when you have a better idea of what you basic bills are going to be.  I know that I don't like not knowing what the bills are going to be & this year is worse than I can remember, made even worse because of my energy supplier going kaput.  I have to say that having to now deal with british gas is definitely not helping with this.

warby68

Absolutely everything has an element of uncertainty attached, new house, new bills, new plans - that's what it is.

What's the worst that can happen? You have take a little longer with all the plans. Not ideal but not the end of the world either.

Get those lists out - they always help it feel more under control

FWIW I think you're right to prioritise the garden work. You have looked forward to having outside space so much, more than the internals and spring's nearly here. Your own garden and 2 little ones - perfect

[Deleted User]

Amber1980 said:

You’re probably feeling a bit anxious at the moment because of all the change,even though they are good changes it’s still unsettling!
 I find when I’m anxious about anything or feeling out of control of everyday life I worry about money and my financial future alot more than when life is a bit calmer x

Yes, this definitely makes sense.

[Deleted User]

badmemory said:

I think the unknown is always more stressful than when you actually know what is what & that is where you are at the moment.  I'm sure those stress levels will lower when you have a better idea of what you basic bills are going to be.  I know that I don't like not knowing what the bills are going to be & this year is worse than I can remember, made even worse because of my energy supplier going kaput.  I have to say that having to now deal with british gas is definitely not helping with this.

Sorry BG are not helping.  Is there any light at the end of the tunnel?  Yes, I think once we know where all the bills stand with this house it might be easier.  We've done some estimates at present and will continue to put an amount away each month that we think (hope) will cover them.  We still have around £1500 in the bills account though our final electricity bill for the flat needs to come out of that and we need a delivery of oil here (though I think we only need around half a tank or so so might be around £350).

[Deleted User]

warby68 said:

Absolutely everything has an element of uncertainty attached, new house, new bills, new plans - that's what it is.

What's the worst that can happen? You have take a little longer with all the plans. Not ideal but not the end of the world either.

Get those lists out - they always help it feel more under control

FWIW I think you're right to prioritise the garden work. You have looked forward to having outside space so much, more than the internals and spring's nearly here. Your own garden and 2 little ones - perfect

Yes, you're right.  I guess we just want to make sure this is exactly how we want it asap as we have been waiting for so long, but you're right, even if we have to wait a little longer it's not the end of the world